The Daily on Feb. 3 ran an Off the Hill written by Jeff Weiner of the University of Central Florida. His article, titled "Your arteries really don't believe you," expressed his vehement anger at people who order popcorn with extra-extra butter and then order a Diet Coke. The reason for his deep loathing wasn't necessarily the order itself, but that people who place this type of order are faux-health-conscious and shouldn't pretend to eat healthy when they're pigging out. As Weiner put it, "I guess he was hoping that the ‘diet' in his Coke would be enough to cancel out the extra-extra calories he had dumped all over his popcorn."
I was extremely upset when I read this article.
Weiner seems to only think of healthy dieting in extremes. Either you eat only extremely healthy food all the time, always watch your calories, avoid sugars and only drink water, or you eat yourself into obesity with no concern for your body at all. It's Weiner's mockery of diet soda and anti-diet sentiments like his that have helped lead America into its current obesity epidemic in the first place. If someone prefers extra-extra butter on their popcorn, then why not cut the calories in their beverage? In fact, if someone cuts the 97 calories in an 8-ounce can of regular Coke from their diet everyday for a full year, then that's 35,405 calories saved annually.
Why is Weiner encouraging us to slip away into obesity? If I order extra-extra butter, then I automatically have to order a jumbo-size Coke with a bucket of fried chicken and a double plate of nachos with extra-extra cheese? That's ridiculous! Or does Weiner simply want us to always be health freaks, to always eat fruit, vegetable and salads except for our one indulgence: full-calorie soda.
Cutting corners is the start of any good diet; removing mayonnaise or cheese from that daily sandwich is an easy way to cut fat and calories from anyone's routine intake. By attacking people who order diet sodas, Weiner is discouraging people from cutting calories and instead promotes an even unhealthier lifestyle than some people already have.
As Weiner put it, "You can live healthily or not. I don't, and won't judge you if you don't either. But, please, be honest with yourself, and don't fool yourself by thinking like these people." This type of reasoning is absurd. Weiner won't "judge" me for eating two quad-stackers and a large order of fries, but as soon as I add a Diet Coke onto that order, then watch out, here comes the food police! Why have we made diet soda a faux pas in this country when making the healthy choice is something that we should all strive to do? Maybe I need two burgers to fill me up — that doesn't mean I need 64 ounces and 536 calories of Coke to wash it down when I could just as easily down 64 ounces of calorie-free Coke Zero. Would Weiner still ridicule me if I just ordered water instead? Is drinking water with junk food reason for being "judged" as well?
Also, after asserting that he chooses not to eat healthily, Weiner goes on to explain his distaste for another drink — VitaminWater. "Companies are fully aware that they can trick people with the illusion of healthy living. Take VitaminWater for example — but for the love of God, don't drink it." So wait, first you said you wouldn't judge me if I don't live healthily. Then you asserted that VitmainWater, though appearing healthy, isn't healthy. Now you're telling me not to drink VitaminWater? I'm confused.
But what really flabbergasted me the most was Weiner's closing thought: "It's sad but true that when it comes to your health, you can't have your cake and eat it too." Isn't that a direct contradiction of your whole point? The guy that orders extra-extra butter isn't having his cake and eating it too because he didn't order a full-calorie beverage; he ordered a small Diet Coke. Drinking diet soda isn't going to put anyone on the direct train to healthy town, but if you're overweight and looking to trim down, then it helps to make small choices everyday like diet soda over regular soda, one packet of cream cheese instead of two, a triple-stacker instead of a quad-stacker.
So please, next time you open the fridge at your local convenience store or go to fill up your cup at Burger King, don't be afraid to reach for the diet alternative. If your friends mock you, don't let it bother you because you know that you're making a fine choice by cutting calories where you can. Also, as a rule of thumb, never listen to Jeff Weiner's advice. His points are few and far between, and his latest point will always be contradictory with at least one of the arguments he's already made. I feel sorry for the students at Central Florida who have to read this jibber-jabber.
Also, and this is just a side note, Weiner completely ignores the entire sub-culture of cola drinkers who prefer the taste of diet colas to regularly sweetened sodas. Let us not forget the old slogan: "Just for the taste of it, Diet Coke!"
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Peter Accomando is a senior majoring in mechanical engineering.
